Arts & Culture

Cey Adams talks Def Jam, Logos, Album Covers, Giving Back, Paintings and Murals

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2017

Amon Focus

I met up with Cey Adams at his studio in Brooklyn and talked about his journey as an artist in New York. We discuss his motivation to give back and inspire those who will carry the mantle of creativity forward. We also discuss his contribution to the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and much, much, more.

Thumbnail Photography Courtesy of Janette Beckman

Stay Up to Date with Cey Adams

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Talking Points (In No Particular Order)

Early days of Graffiti
Def Jam
Creative Director
Drawing Board
Logos
Hand Lettering
Rush Artist Advisory Board
Giving Back to Young People
Paving the would for artist of today
Mentors
Power of Music
Power of Culture
The Importance of pushing Art Forward
Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol
20 Years: Getting Attention of Major Galleries and Museums
Music and Civil Rights in the 80s
Challenges and Obstacles
Highs and Lows of being an Artist
Paintings and Murals: One Nation, All American, Trusted Brands
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Links to the Stuff they Talked About

Mary J Blige – What’s the 411?

LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Hat

Nobody Beats the Wiz Commercial

Zenith

Meshell Ndegeocello

The Roots

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.

Arts & Culture

Kenny Vera talks Ecuador, LOOT Lifestyle and Poco a Poco

Published

5 days ago

December 10, 2018

Amon Focus

Kenny Vera talks running a small business, launching his LOOT Lifestyle brand, learning new languages and overcoming mistakes.

Keep Up With LOOT

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Show Notes

Being typed as we speak…
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This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.

Arts & Culture

BlusterOne: The Birth of a PNB Nation, Spirituality and Graffiti

Published

3 weeks ago

November 26, 2018

Amon Focus

Part 1

Part 2

This episode is brought to you by Peralta Project. Well not officially, I didn’t actually speak to Tony and his team but I’ve love what they’re doing over there. I’m a fan of Tony’s art and of course I love the clothing. Plus he’s been a guest on the show, click here.

Photography by Laurie Markiewicz

When Tony opened up his shop Taller Peralta, he connected with today’s guest to paint the front gate. Today’s guest is James K. Alicea aka BlusterOne. This is going to be a two part episode. In this episode, Bluster and I talk about growing up in the Lower East Side, his early graffiti days, Rakim lyrics, religion, spirituality, the Five Percent Nation and his introduction to Islam.

Enjoy.

Keep Up with BlusterOne

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Part 2 Show Notes

Islam
Quran
Hadith
Hafiz
Islamic Cultural Center of New York
Charlie Hebdo shooting
How are you trying to grow as a human being?
Christianity
Buddhism
Dogma
The globe is bigger than the books
Nuyorican
Latin communities that are Muslim
Moors
History of Spain
Mecca
Make it to Mecca
Malcolm X Explains His Pilgrimage to Mecca 1964
PNB Nation Part 1 from The Limited Edition Magazine
PNB Nation VIBE Article
The 50 Greatest Streetwear T-Shirts of All Time by Jeff Staples in Complex Nov. 19, 2013 (Just a note tying this all together- Jeff was on the New York Said Podcast too- here’s his episode: Jeff Staple talks Streetwear Ambassador, 20 Years of Staple Design and Reed Space
PNB Logo
Post no bills
Cooper Union
Hardcore into Stamps
Casey Rubber Stamps
Afro-Latin Americans
Afro-Puerto Ricans
Shout out to Chessa
Graffiti Culture
Racking- stealing supplies for graffiti writing
Sullivan County Community College
Writer
Behold the Pale Horse (book) by milton william cooper
The Spook Who Sat By the Door YouTube Full Film
SS3Tony
Kahlil “Zulu” Williams Twitter @sergefc
Yuri Kochiyama (political activist)
Roger “Brue” Mchayle Twitter @Brueroc
Issac “West” Rubinstein
Sung Choi Twitter @sungchoi_
Post No Bills
Free Stylin‘: How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry: How Hip Hop Changed …By elenaromero
Futura (artist)
48 Laws of Power by robert greene (book)
Hello my name is…
Sean John
FUBU
Rocawear
Phat Farm
Phillies Blunt Street Wear
The 50 Greatest Pop Culture References In Streetwear by Complex
School of Hard Knocks (visual)
School of Hard Knocks Founder
555 Soul
Union
FUCT
Stussy
Eric Brunetti Book FUCT
West Coast Streetwear
GAT-Gypsies and Thieves streetwear brand
Freshjive Streetwear brand
Tribal Streetwear
D12 Logo for Anger Management Tour
Keds
RockRubber45s Original Poster Art was done by BlusterOne
What’s Good with Stretch & Bobbito Podcast
‘Rock Rubber 45s’ Q&A with Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love New York Said Episode
Respect for the culture
WBAI FM Third World Cypher Radio Show with BlusterOne and Brue
Shabba Ranks – Wicked in a bed – YouTube
Duffed
Lose with the mouth
Quality of Life
We don’t want no smoke
Many an L taken
Cool with those who are cool with me
If I have my headphones in that means don’t ask me
Amon is giving out fives
That was brought to you by the letter…
Most important lesson thus far is to be about your word. BlusterOne
Honesty
Deathstyles vs. Lifestyles
Forward
Fuse Green Episode: Gun Pockets: The Triumphs and Challenges of Fuse Green
Tony Peralta Episode: M. Tony Peralta shares Insight from his Growth as an Artist and Entrepreneur
Leo
Vault of Culture
Arturo Vega shares his Journey to the Ramones and Beyond Episode
TMNK – Art is my Weapon Episode
Lower East Side

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This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.

Arts & Culture

Contact High: 40 Years of Hip-Hop Photography with Vikki Tobak

Published

2 months ago

October 16, 2018

Amon Focus

We’re back in Brooklyn, DUMBO to be exact and this time we are kicking it with Vikki Tobak. Vikki is a journalist, producer and the author of Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop. In this episode we talk about growing up in Detroit, her photography moment, working with Gang Starr, working at Paper Magazine, interviewing Diddy when he was on the come up and her journey to Contact High.

About Vikki

VIKKI TOBAK is a journalist whose writing has appeared in The Fader, Complex, Mass Appeal, Paper, i-D, the Detroit News, Vibe, and many others. She is a former producer and columnist for CBS MarketWatch, CNN, Bloomberg News, TechTV, and other leading media organizations. Vikki is also the founding curator of FotoDC’s film program and served as the art commissioner/curator for the Palo Alto Public Art Commission in Silicon Valley. She has lectured about music photography at American University, VOLTA New York, Photoville, the Library of Congress, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.

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